Philippines flood: Normal life gets hit, Manila shuts down

Manila: Heavy rains in the Philippine capital of Manila forced all schools, government offices and the stock exchange close, as waist-deep water flooded parts of the city. Rains from Tropical Storm Trami fell across the city populated by more than 12 million people throughout the night.

Schools in provinces outside Manila were also closed, a government statement said, as the heavy rain pounded a large area of the main island of Luzon.

The statement said that all government offices in Manila were also closed, while the Philippine Stock Exchange announced that it would not open. Waist-deep water in some parts of Manila made roads and highways impassable.

Some commuters on public transport were left stranded, and had to wade waist-deep through muddy, trash-filled water.

There were no reports of fatalities. In the mountainous north of Luzon, 200 people were evacuated from their homes to avoid landslides, according to the government's disaster agency.

Heavy rain has been forecast across Manila and Luzon throughout Monday.